Incinerator



Feb. 2, 1965 E. F. MOLDENHAUER 3, 63

INCINERATOR Filed June 12.

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Fig. I

INVENTOR. E RW/N EMOLDENHAUER y Fig. 3

ATTORNEY Feb. 2, 1965 E. F. MOLDENHAUER 3,

INCINERATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 12. 1961 11/1 1 1 I on I I I If I! ll Fig. 5

INVENTOR. E RWI/V E MOL 05/11/1405 ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,168,063 INCINERATOR Erwin F. Moldenhauer, 2036 4th St., Boulder, Colo. Filed June 12, 1961, Ser. No. 116,557 4 Claims. (Cl. 110-18) This invention relates to furnaces appropriate for the disposal of combustible wastes, and more particularly to such furnaces efficiently applicable in a unitary organization to installation and use as domestic incinerators, and has as an object to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit of enhanced practicality and operative competence.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit that is amenable to simple, economical installation in a selected use location of small area.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit that is ingeniously adapted to effect rapid and complete reduction of a combustible charge with minimum output of objectionable vapors.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit that is automatically reactive to charge combustion for supply of combustion-promoting air increments successively to the vapor output from the primary combustion.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit that is susceptible of expedient production from diverse available materials in an extensive range of desired sizes and capacities.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved construction and operative organization of elements constituting an incinerator unit of enhanced practicality and efliciency. A further object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved incinerator unit that is adapted for economical production with minimal recourse to special tools and equipment, that is convenient to handle and transport as conditioned for immediate use, that is continuously available for repetitious use with but little occasion for servicing of any nature, that operates in full satisfaction of pertinent regulations and requirements obtaining in urban communities, that is durable and long-lived in exposure to the natural elements, and that is positive and efficient in attainment of the ends for which designed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, my invention consists in the constrution, arrangement, and operative organization of elements as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in the appended claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which-- FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a typical embodiment of the invention as conditioned and positioned for practical use, an alternative, open position of the charging door element of the assembly being represented by broken lines.

FIGURE 2 is a reversed perspective view of the organization according to FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a transverse section, on a relatively-enlarged scale, taken substantially on the indicated line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a vertical, or longitudinal, section taken substantially on the indicated line 4-4 of FIGURE 3, alternative positions of a rockable grate component featuring the incinerator structure being represented by broken lines.

FIGURE 5 is a section similar to FIGURE 4 taken substantially on the indicated line 55 of FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary, detail section, on a furtherenlarged scale, showing a structural adaptation within the contemplation of the invention.

Disposal of combustible domestic wastes is very com- "ice monly accomplished by burning the same as the site of their accumulation with usual concomitant and objectionable hazard-promoting dispersal of embers, generation of spark-charged vapors and smokes, pollution of the atmosphere in consequence of constituents entrained by the vapor output from incomplete combustion, and widespread dispersion of vapor-entrained solids to ultimate soiling and contaminating deposit. Long recognized as meriting urban concern, the factors attending disposal of combustible domestic wastes have prompted restrictions, regulations, and standards applied to govern careless, casual, and indiscriminate burning thereof, and a variety of incinerators have heretofore been devised to facilitate such disposal with satisfaction of established requirements and resolution of the attendant problems. In one, another, or several respects the domestic incinerators hitherto available have been less than satisfactory, in consequence whereof the instant invention is directed to the provision of a novel and improved such unit efficiently operable with elimination of the inadequacies characterizing previous analogous equipment.

Adapted for production from sheet metal, as represented by FIGURES 1-5, inclusive, or from refractory ceramic or masonry materials in association with metal components, as typified by FIGURE 6, the elements of the improvement according to the invention are exemplified as a unitary assembly correlated on and including an elongated, rectangular, housing 10 expediently comprised in any feasible manner from substantially-rigid, fire-resistant material. Conveniently square in transverse section, as shown, and of a length much exceeding its lateral extent, the housing 10 is comprised of spacedly-parallel front and back walls 11 and 12, respectively, spacedlyparallel side walls 13 and 14, fixedly closing in angular relation with and between registered margins of the Walls 11 and 12, an imperforate floor 15, which may be formed from or interiorly faced with refractory ceramic or masonry material 15', fixedly closing to corresponding end margins of the walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 perpendicular to the planes of said walls, and an end plate 16 fixedly closing substantially one-half of the housing end remote from said floor 15 spacedly parallel to the latter in marginal attachment to the end of the back wall 12 and adjacent half portions of the ends of the walls 13 and 14, whereby to open for access to the interior of the housing 10 approximately that half of the housing end furnished with the plate 16 which is contiguous to the front wall 11. Adapted to upstand with its walls 11, 12, 13 and 14 generally vertical from engagement of its floor 15 against a horizontal base, or supporting surface, in any expedient attachment thereto, the housing 10 provides a vertically-elongated chamber adapted to receive charge through the half open area adjacent the plate 16 of its upper end, for which purpose a door 17 is hinged for articulation about an axis adjacent and parallel to the free side of the plate 16 in a size and conformation efiective at times to close the open access area adjoining said plate and alternatively to clear said area for input of charge to the housing therethrough. Otherwise imperiorate, the front wall 11 of the housing is formed with an access opening appropriate for clean-out purposes intersecting the wall area immediately above the floor 15 which is normally closed by a door 18 furnished with transverse, fixed louvers 19 disposed for the admission of air at an upward inclination to the interior of the housing 10 and desirably hinged to the latter for outward and upward displacement effective to uncover the associated access opening; the side walls 13 and 14 are formed alike with louvers 20 pitched as are the louvers 19 and expediently horizontally coplanar therewith; and the back wall 12 is interrupted in its lower area by louvers 21 complementary in pitch and location to the analogous features Hand 26 p Above the hinge axis of the door 18 a shaft 23 disposed 1 parallel to the floor 15 in the vertical median plane of the housing parallel to the side Walls 13 and 14 is supported for oscillation about its axis in journaled relation with and to span between the walls 11 and 12 in projection at one end through and exteriorly of the front wall 11 to' fixed connection with a radial crank, or actuating handle, 24-, and tines 25 fixed radially of and spacedly along said shaft 23 between the walls 11 and 12 correspondingly terminate inwardly adjacentthe side walls 13 and 14 as determinants of angularly-related planes divergent downwardly and outwardly within the housing from and radially of said shaft, whereby to establish a grate structure component susceptible of limited oscillation laterally of the housing 10 disposed transversely of the latter.

mentary to the grate component comprised from the sha'fti 23 and tines 25, spaced fingers 26 fixedly intrude from the side Walls 13 and 14 at a downward and inward inclination to accommodation between the adjacent free ends of the tines 25 in all manipulable positions of the latter, the array of fingers 26 attachedto each side wall being coplanar and terminally aligned, in which manner is provided a grate characterized by an oscillatable component transversely dividing the housing 10 into a lower, ash-reeeiving chamber accessible through the door 18 and conditioned for'upwardly-directed input of atmosphericrair through the louvers 19, 20 and 21, and an upper, combustion chamber adapted for reception of charge through the door 17 and admission of atmospheric air through the port 22.

Upwardly-directed inflow of air to the lower chamber of the housing through the louvers 19, 20 and 21 rises in a customary manner between and past the tines 25 and Comple- V fingers 26 of the grate organization with combustionfl promoting effect upon an ignited charge supported'by the grate, the upwardly-convergent arrangement of said tines enhancing effective delivery of air to and for penetration through the charge, and a portion of the air input to the lower chamber is diverted past the charge upon the grate and to delivery to the combustion chamber above the grate-supported charge through vertical channels expediently formed at the corner angles of the housing by means of bafiles 27 correspondingly fixed to close to and 30. "In consequence of the novel structure and mode of span, angularly between the housing walls conjoint at each corner of the assembly in a length and relative vertical disposition such as to locate the lower ends of said bafiies slightly below the effective zone of the grate and the upper ends of the baflies spacedly subjacent the plate 16 and closed position of the door 17. Manifestly, draft influences generated by combustion within the upper chamber of the housing 10 induce flow of unvitiated air from the lower chamber through the channels established by the bafiies 27 and past the charge in process of combustion to delivery above the burning charge for combustion-promoting admixture with unconsumed gaseous and other products of the primary combustion, thereby materially enhancing the totality of the combustion in progress.

The vaporous products of combustion accomplished within the upper chamber of the housing 10 are vented to atmosphere through a stack 28 fixed to upstand from and to communicate through the plate 16 in symmetrical relation with and spaced proximity to the port 22 provided in the housing back wall 12 in a unique association ef-' and the other of its flat web components spacedly parallel to said back wall 12 in edge attachment to the plate 16 at the side of the stack 28.remote from said wall 12, whereby to embrace'said port 22 and the intake end of the stack 28 within the overlay of the deflector 29 which is in open communication at each end with the upper end interior of the combustion chamber, thereby to provide that products of combustion seeking outlet through the stack must enter atan end through and traverse the deflector in admixing exposure to unvitiatedair induced through the port 22 for consequent stimulation and promotion of residual combustion of any properties of the outflowsusceptible of ignition from the zone of primary combustion through an aperture 30 centrally intersecting the horizontal web component of the deflector adjacent the-associated vertical web component thereof.

Organized as shown and described, the procedures and advantages incident to operation of the improvedincinerator should be readily apparent. Installed in position of use with its length vertical and the stack 23 directed upwardly, the upper'chamber of the housing 10 may be charged with combustible wastes through the door 17 whereafter; both of the doors 17 and 18 being closed and the charge ignited by flame introduced through either of the doors, the charge supported upon the grate structure burns freely and vigorously under the influence of air of combustion received through the louvers 19, 20 and 21 to pass upwardly through the grate structure and charge thereon, the ash residue from the combustion falling from the grate structure to confinementwithin the lower chamber of the housing whence it may be removed, as requisite, through the access opening controlled by the door 18, any congestion. occurring on the grate structure being readily cleared and relived by a simple rocking of the oscillatable component thereof. Primary combustion of the grate-supported charge induces'a vigorous uprise of unvitiated air through the channels established by the baffles 27 for admixture with and the promotion of further combustion in the gases and vapors occupying the upper portion of the combustion chamber and progress of the products of combustion to discharge through the stack 28 occasions further and complete firing thereof as they are constrained to enter and. traverse the deflector 29 in combination with resupply of unvitiated air through the port 22 and exposure to"i'gnitio'n through.,the aperture operation characteristic thereof, the improved incinerator effectively and efiiciently consumes combustible materials received therein withapparently complete elimination of smoke and objectionable constituents from its discharge to atmosphere. Subject to rather intense heat during combustion of its charge, the improved incinerator functions to rapidly consume the charge and thereby reduce the time of its exposure to high heat, and in addition the circulation of air through the channels defined by the baffies 27 and the intake of air through the port 22 apply cooling eifect'importantly counteracting the incidence of combustion-generated heat.

As exemplified by FIGURE6, the housingwalls, floor, fixed top closure, and stack, any or all, may be formed from ceramic or masonry materials to complete an incinerator organization structurally equivalent to and functionally identical with the arrangement above described, in which event the fingers 26 may have theform of headed rods 26 feasibly fixed in position of use through embedment of their headed ends in the material of the alternative masonry side wall 13'. V

Since changes, variations, and modifications in the form, construction, and arrangement of the elements shown and describedtmay be had without departing from the spirit of my invention, I wish to be understood as being limited solely by the'scope of the appended claims, rather than by any details of the illustrative showing and foregoing description. 7

I claim as my invention:

1. An incinerator comprising an upright housing furnished with a charging door at its upper end and a cleanout door adjacent its lower end, a grate structure transversely of said housing above said clean-out door, means for the admission of air to said housing beneath said grate structure, means for directing some of the admitted air to the upper end interior of the housing in by-passing relation with the grate structure, a vent stack serving the upper end interior of the housing, means for the admission of air directly to the housing interior subjacent said stack, a deflector closing to and interiorly of the housing spacedly and embracingly over said latter means and the adjacent end of the stack to determine an open-ended flow passage connecting laterally between the housing interior and stack, and an ignition aperture in said deflector in substantial alignment with the stack.

2. An incinerator comprising an upright housing furnished with a charging door at its upper end, a clean-out door adjacent its lower end, and a vent stack serving the interior of the housing through the upper end thereof, a grate structure transversely of said housing above the clean-out door, means for the admission of air to said housing beneath said grate structure, conduits by-passing said grate structure in fixed, upstanding association with interior walls of said housing to each open above and below the grate structure for direction of some of the admitted air to the upper end interior of the housing, means for the admission of air directly to the housing interior subjacent said stack, a deflector closing to and interiorly of the housing spacedly and embracingly over said latter means and the adjacent end of the stack to determine an open-ended flow passage connecting laterally between the housing interior and stack, and an ignition aperture in said deflector in substantial alignment with the stack.

3. An incinerator comprising an upright housing furnished with a charging door at its upper end, a clean-out door adjacent its lower end, and a vent stack serving the interior of the housing through the upper end thereof, a grate structure transversely of the housing above the clean-out door, louvers interrupting housing areas beneath said grate structure for upwardly-directed admission of air to the lower portion of the housing, conduits bypassing said grate structure in fixed, upstanding association with interior walls of said housing to each open above and below the grate structure for direction of some of the admitted air to the upper interior end of the housing, a port intersecting the housing for the admission of air directly to the housing interior subjacent said stack, a deflector closing to and interiorly of the housing spacedly and embracingly over said port and the adjacent end of the stack to determine an open-ended flow passage connecting laterally between the housing interior and stack, and an ignition aperture in said deflector in substantial alignment with the stack.

4. In an incinerator having a transversely-rectangular, upright housing furnished with a charging door at its upper end, a clean-out door adjacent its lower end, a vent stack serving the interior of the housing through the upper end thereof, and louvers interrupting lower portion areas of the housing for upwardly-directed admission of air thereto, a shaft rockably mounted centrally and laterally of the housing above said clean-out door in extension at one end exteriorly of the housing, an actuating handle fixed to the exterior end of said shaft, tines fixed spacedly along and radially of said shaft in and to determine planes divergent outwardly and downwardly from the shaft within the housing, said shaft and tines constituting a rockable grate component, fingers fixedly intruding in spaced relation inwardly and downwardly from the housing walls parallel to said shaft between and for grate-completing coaction with the free ends of adjacent said tines, means for directing some of the admitted air to the upper end interior of the housing in by-passing relation with said fingers and the associated rockable grate component, and separate means for the input of combustion-promoting air to the housing subjacent said stack in automatic reaction to vapor outflow induced therethrough.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 381,299 Walter Apr. 17, 1888 1,199,727 Bedard Sept. 26, 1916 1,724,575 Graver Aug. 13, 1929 1,975,403 Perky Oct. 3, 1934 2,711,139 Martin June 21, 1955 3,043,248 Martin July 10, 1962 3,051,100 Singleton Aug. 28, 1962 

1. AN INCINERATOR COMPRISING AN UPRIGHT HOUSING FURNISHED WITH A CHARGING DOOR AT ITS UPPER END AND A CLEANOUT DOOR ADJACENT ITS LOWER END, A GRATE STRUCTURE TRANSVERSELY OF SAID HOUSING ABOVE SAID CLEAN-OUT DOOR, MEANS FOR THE ADMISSION OF AIR TO SAID HOUSING BENEATH SAID GRATE STRUCTURE, MEANS FOR DIRECTING SOME OF THE ADMITTED AIR TO THE UPPER END INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING IN BY-PASSING RELATION WITH THE GRATE STRUCTURE, A VENT STACK SERVING THE UPPER END INTERIOR OF THE HOUSING, MEANS FOR THE ADMISSION OF AIR DIRECTLY TO THE HOUSING INTERIOR SUBJACENT SAID STACK, A DEFLECTOR CLOSING TO AND INTERIORLY OF THE HOUSING SPACEDLY AND EMBRACINGLY OVER SAID LATTER MEANS AND THE ADJACENT END OF THE STACK TO DETERMINE AN OPEN-ENDED FLOW PASSAGE CONNECTING LATERALLY BETWEEN THE HOUSING INTERIOR AND STACK, AND AN IGNITION APERTURE IN SAID DEFLECTOR IN SUBSTANTIAL ALIGNMENT WITH THE STACK. 